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Swashbuckler
One-man sword-and-sorcery machine

Date Joined Mar 2006
Total Posts : 1226

Posted 5/29/2006 3:58 AM (GMT -4)

In case you all haven't noted it yet, there's a new Firebrand Fiction review column on the SFReader.com site.

Robert J. Santa took over the reins (temporarily) for Daniel E. Blackston and turned out a very thoughtful and informative review of the latest editions of two fantasy magazines -- "Realms of Fantasy" and "Flashing Swords."

I enjoyed the review -- and not only for selfish reasons. Well done, Rob. I hope to see more.

Steve Goble

Visit www.stevegoble.com for news on upcoming stories or to see my blog

erazmus
Master

Date Joined Jul 2005
Total Posts : 4474

Posted 5/29/2006 4:38 AM (GMT -4)

A well done review, I loved it.
Mike

Michael D. Turner
"Psyched Up" in _Turn the other Chick_-ed. E. Friesner-Baen books
www.baen.com
"Two Ravens" in Amazing Journeys Magazine #9 Sept. 05
"An Incident at Black Tongue Tavern" in _Bash Down the Door and Slice Open the Badguy_ from Fantasist Enterprises

Rob Santa
Sage

Date Joined Apr 2004
Total Posts : 1383

Posted 5/29/2006 9:10 AM (GMT -4)

Thank you, gents. I had a blast doing it and look forward to doing more. When Dan suggested somebody else do a column so that Flashing Swords could get a fair review, I jumped at the chance. I couldn't decide which other mag to put in there and thought RoF would be fun considering the - how to put this politely? - bashing it's received on occassion here. I was greatly surprised by some of RoF's content (and, as you read, not much surprised by the rest).

I call dibs on the next Flashing Swords.

Rob Santa

erazmus
Master

Date Joined Jul 2005
Total Posts : 4474

Posted 5/29/2006 10:27 AM (GMT -4)

Actually it was the RoF review I really dug, I'd all ready read the Flashing Sword issue! RoF gets a bashing around here pretty regularly based not on a particular issues content but on the impression most of us have of its content in general. This is both imprecise and unfair, the magazine is what it is, not what we wish it was, and it prints more than its share of fine fantasy. It is also very visible and thus a handy illustration for points in various discussions. All well and fine but we often forget to credit it for what it is which is a fine magazine for the types of fiction it does print.
Mike

Christopher_Heath
Eternal Champion

Date Joined Oct 2005
Total Posts : 1156

Posted 5/29/2006 6:10 PM (GMT -4)

My gripe with the magazine (at least based on when I did read it, haven't checked it out in years) is that the covers were never indicative of the contents. It felt like a switch and bait was being pulled. After I paid my money to read about the barbarian, or dragon, or wizard on the cover, I was a little pissed off to discover it full of stories about little girls having a birthday party and finding fairies in the backyard pond, or a story about a vampire talent agent. I read probably over 10 issues, and out of those issues, maybe only 10% were indicative of the cover. I think someone mentioned their covers aren't quite so S&S/high fantasy oriented now. I hope that's true, because they should have covers that reflect the content. I really wish rather than change the cover, they'd change the content to better reflect the covers. I never thought the writing was particularly bad; I thought the editor (Shawna McCarthy?) was competent in spotting good writing for the most part (with a few lapses, I remember a story about an exterminator and a "gnome" problem that was pretty horribly written, and a few others), but like I illustrated with examples, it's a sheep-in-wolf's clothing, and I like fantasy with a little bite. From what I understand, a lot of people have the same complaint. My opinion is based on when the magazine first started, so I'm ignorant of the current situation. Maybe it is deserving of praise these days...

Christopher M. Heath

"Azieran: Creed of the Desert Kings" in Forgotten Worlds

"Azieran: Maixgloan" in GrendelSong #2

"Azieran: Brotherhood of Rot" in Prism Quarterly 8.3

"Azieran: She of the White Lotus" in Sages and Swords by Pitch-Black Books

"Azieran: Bound by Virtue" in Clash of Steel book III by Carnifex Press

"Azieran: Blood and Kings" novella by Carnifex Press

"Azieran: The Frost Scarab of Luunhaat" in Lycanthropes by ComStar Media, LLC

"Azieran: The Young Roué" in Tavern Tales by ComStar Media, LLC

+ others

Christopher_Heath
Eternal Champion

Date Joined Oct 2005
Total Posts : 1156

Posted 5/29/2006 6:22 PM (GMT -4)

I just read Robert's review, sounds like more of the same on Realms of Fantasy---well written tales not of my tastes. Rob mentions the cover angle I was talking about as well, though it does look like they're softening it a bit.

Christopher M. Heath

"Azieran: Creed of the Desert Kings" in Forgotten Worlds

"Azieran: Maixgloan" in GrendelSong #2

"Azieran: Brotherhood of Rot" in Prism Quarterly 8.3

"Azieran: She of the White Lotus" in Sages and Swords by Pitch-Black Books

"Azieran: Bound by Virtue" in Clash of Steel book III by Carnifex Press

"Azieran: Blood and Kings" novella by Carnifex Press

"Azieran: The Frost Scarab of Luunhaat" in Lycanthropes by ComStar Media, LLC

"Azieran: The Young Roué" in Tavern Tales by ComStar Media, LLC

+ others

SC Bryce
Aspiring Hammock Tester

Date Joined Jan 2005
Total Posts : 1089

Posted 5/31/2006 10:58 PM (GMT -4)

Rob:

Thanks for the great review!

SC Bryce

www.SCBryce.com

Contributing Editor and Critique Group Moderator, www.SwordandSorcery.org

Forthcoming fiction:
"Rise of a Necromancer," a Dermanassian novella, in "Flashing Swords."
"The Demon War," reprinted in "Worlds of Wonder."
"A Long Night with Five Mothers," in Pitch-Black Books' "Lords of Swords 2."
"Let the Black Earth Take It All," anthology, Rage Machine Books.

Rob Santa
Sage

Date Joined Apr 2004
Total Posts : 1383

Posted 5/31/2006 11:53 PM (GMT -4)

Think nothing of it. It's easy to praise great work.

Rob Santa

ghostposts
Acolyte

Date Joined Apr 2005
Total Posts : 314

Posted 6/1/2006 12:13 AM (GMT -4)

Excellent work, Rob. An insightful, intelligent read.

Necromancer's Curse

http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/eBook37823.htm

Necromancer's Redemption
http://www.fictionwise.com/servlet/mw?t=book&bi=38341&si==

reviews

http://www.geocities.com/evas_son/reviews.html

C.Cevasco
Paradox Forum Moderator

Date Joined Sep 2003
Total Posts : 939

Posted 6/12/2006 11:38 AM (GMT -4)

Somehow I missed both this thread and the new column until today! Anyway, I just read it--great column Rob. I enjoyed it very much.

Chris

Christopher M. Cevasco, Editor/Publisher
Paradox: The Magazine of Historical and Speculative Fiction
http://www.paradoxmag.com

Shocklines.com is carrying my Dark Heresy Chapbook.

Rob Santa
Sage

Date Joined Apr 2004
Total Posts : 1383

Posted 6/12/2006 12:13 PM (GMT -4)

Thank you. It was my pleasure, and there will be more in the future.

Rob Santa

Dragon Angel
Lord Dragon

Date Joined Sep 2004
Total Posts : 1066

Posted 7/4/2006 1:03 PM (GMT -4)

I was reading this issue and was got to the flashing Swords section, and I was like, "Wow! Daniel is being really hard on a magazine he is so closely associated with!" Finally I got to the end and saw Rob's name which was the biggest twist ending I've seen in a long time. ;)

read free fiction and poetry at http://www.geocities.com/davidolson22/index.html

Part dark, part light. And gooey in the middle.

Rob Santa
Sage

Date Joined Apr 2004
Total Posts : 1383

Posted 7/4/2006 5:27 PM (GMT -4)

Didn't intend to be hard. Maybe you were reading between the lines. I assure you there's no deeper meaning to the review. I liked everything I read in Flashing Swords. Maybe I need to go back and reread the review; something clearly didn't come across right.

Rob Santa

Dragon Angel
Lord Dragon

Date Joined Sep 2004
Total Posts : 1066

Posted 7/4/2006 7:21 PM (GMT -4)

You're review of the lead story was a tad harsh. On the other hand, I haven't read the story, so may it is quite astute. But when I thought Daniel was writing the review, it blew my mind that he'd say something negative. :)

read free fiction and poetry at http://www.geocities.com/davidolson22/index.html

Part dark, part light. And gooey in the middle.

Daniel
Carl Jung's Waterboy

Date Joined Aug 2003
Total Posts : 4515

Posted 7/5/2006 5:46 PM (GMT -4)

I thought it was a great column. Cool to see other voices in the Firebrand slot. I liked it when Greg Beatty stepped in, too. This is probably a really good thing for the review column: a variety of voices and not just one.

LOL, the positive review of the Jay Lake story is what made Rob's recent Firebrand column seem odd to moi. I just don't connect with Jay's writing, so it was cool, if strange, to see Rob taking up some slack for me and multi-tasking on things I probably wouldn't have done myself, or couldn't do -- including the FS review. Of course the Lake story was a collaboration....

Rob's got a new column for July! I'm looking forward to reading it and thank him generously for his creative contributions.

Daniel

www.pitchblackbooks.com

Rob Santa
Sage

Date Joined Apr 2004
Total Posts : 1383

Posted 7/5/2006 10:32 PM (GMT -4)

My pleasure. If it means anything, when Greg stepped in he gave my piece in Artemis a thumbs down.

"Competent execution" but "underdeveloped", if I recall. Can't win 'em all, I suppose.

And I'm with ya on the Jay Lake style. I was expecting a tough read, which is probably why it blew me away. Dan, give it a try if you find a copy lying around.

Rob Santa

Daniel
Carl Jung's Waterboy

Date Joined Aug 2003
Total Posts : 4515

Posted 7/6/2006 3:31 AM (GMT -4)

Dan, give it a try if you find a copy lying around.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Absolutely!!

Daniel

www.pitchblackbooks.com

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